The present invention relates to a label tape comprising self-adhesive labels sticking on a carrier strip which are separated from each other by cuts running mainly transverse to the longitudinal direction of the label tape and which are subdivided into sections by at least two cutting lines running in longitudinal direction of the label tape and forming periodic curves, with said sections being linked to each other in embodiments of the invention by bridges formed by gaps in the cutting lines
These label tapes serve for sticking the single labels by means of suitable devices onto products to be sold for example. The periodic curves divide each label into at least three sections which are easily separated from each other when somebody tries to remove a single label from the product it sticks on, so that an unauthorized transfer of a label from one product to another becomes difficult. U. S. Pat. No. 3,221,427 discloses "self-destructive" adhesive tapes comprising two uninterrupted periodic cutting lines running mainly in longitudinal and partly in transverse direction of the label tape, their curvature confining angles of less than 90.degree. . However, these tapes are not divided into label sections.
In the DE-AS 1 217 769, for example, the periodic curves are not formed as uninterrupted cutting lines but show relatively small disruptions so that paper bridges remain keeping the sections together and allow the label to be cleared, say removed and stuck somewhere else by means of a suitable device in which the label is separated from the carrier strip in which the cutting lines do not reach. However, this publication discloses only one periodic curve for one label tape. The cutting lines can also be formed without disruption, connections between the label sections being provided by glue bridges when the labels are being removed.
In label tapes according to DE-OS 1 761 575 the periodic curves are formed wave-like similar to sine curves which run transverse to the longitudinal axis of the label tape and have a maximum amplitude of respectively only about 8% of the width of a single label measured in transverse direction of the tape and thus are relatively flat. In these known tapes the curves formed by the cutting lines run totally parallel to each other and the patterns of the cutting lines in longitudinal direction of the label tape recur every fourth label. Therefore, it is still possible that a section of a label stuck onto a product is removed without authorization and fitted into another label and that this deception is hardly recognizable.
It is an object of the present invention to ensure that said labels can hardly be falsified. This is achieved by choosing the height of a label measured in longitudinal direction of the tape aliquant to the period length of the cutting lines by choosing the form of the curves of the cutting lines such that parts of the cutting lines confine an angle of not more than 90.degree. , and that the curves of the different cutting lines are staggered in longitudinal direction of the label tape.
It is an advantage of the invention that since the division of the periodic cutting lines and the cuts separating one label from another differs and in particular is aliquant, there are many labels between labels having exactly the same cutting lines. Especially when the cutting lines have parts running nearly transverse to the longitudinal axis of the label tape it can be easily detected when efforts were made to assemble a new label from parts of labels not belonging together, in particular when the label is stuck on an article whose color is quite different than that of the label, even when the form of the cutting lines of adjacent labels on the label tape differs only slightly. Since the height of the labels is greater than the periodic length of the cutting lines, preferably at least by a factor of 1,5, but not greater than the tenfold periodic length, a forgery is easily detected when label sections do not exactly fit together.
A further advantage of the invention is that a label section which is limited on both sides by staggered curved cutting lines has an irregular, bizarre form which furthermore aggravates the unauthorized exchange of label sections. Even an exactly fitting section can hardly be put into an applied label without trouble.
When applying the single labels of known label tapes by means of a labelling device it is possible that the single sections of the label are disconnected if the paper bridges are not strong enough. However, if the paper bridges are too strong the risk increases that the entire label might be removed from a labelled object without authorization and stuck onto another object.
Another advantage is that the periodic cutting lines, in general only two, do not run parallel to each other and thus the stability of the label when applying it by means of conventional devices is improved. Therefore, it is possible to keep the paper bridges relatively small (in relation to the length of the cutting lines) and nevertheless the label can be stuck onto a product without being damaged.
An embodiment of the invention has the advantage that forgery can be further prevented in particular when parts of the cutting lines confine a relatively large angle with the longitudinal axis of the label tape and thus with the direction of feeding from the labelling device.
Another embodiment of the invention has the advantage that the cutting lines have fields that are arranged having very different angles so that when the tape is removed without authorization it will almost certainly tear independently from the direction of removal.
An embodiment of the invention has the advantage that the tearing of a label into single sections when removed without authorization is furthermore favored because of the relatively long distance a single cutting line is running in longitudinal direction of the label tape by zigzagging. In particular, when the label is being torn into its single pieces, vertical parts of the applied inscription, especially prices are being subdivided into single parts, so that it is difficult to reassemble them to a new label out of parts not belonging together.